In an effort to finally budge these final 10-15 lbs that I have been battling for 6 months, I think I may have come across the last piece of the puzzle. This also may answer some of the exercise questions some of us have had over the months. Simcoe particularly, if you are listening in, you may be interested in this.

This protocol was developed over 10 years by a pro body builder who also happens to be a science/health/medical geek of sorts, who researched and did private trials until he came up with provable protocols of diet and exercise routines done in a prescribed time and intensity. A lot of the science behind it completely explains why when I exercise, even doing HIT, I just can’t seem to move the weight any more. I have reached a certain point and I seem to be stuck.

This is the reasoning: when you do high intensity exercise, or intense, heavy weight lifting, you do indeed release free fatty acids into your blood stream, especially if combined with low carb diet and/or intermittent fasting (5:2). HOWEVER, and this is the kicker, if you stop there, those FFA’s CAN BE RE-STORED AS FAT AGAIN IF NOT IMMEDIATELY BURNED! Lyle McDonald’s SFP provides that after 10 minutes of HIIT (or 20 minutes of high-rep weights), you rest completely for 5 minutes, then do 20-40 minutes of steady state cardio to burn off those free fatty acids that have been released and that are now in your bloodstream. If you don’t burn them, they will go right back into your cells, which , I think, explains why I have been losing and regaining the same 5 lbs over and over again.

So, I started today. It is recommended to only do it twice a week for those training in body building, but I am going to do every other day, and combine it with IF and my usual low carb. The protocol is as follows:

To be done preferably at least 3 hours after a meal, or better yet, in the morning after the night’s fast.

1. Can take (recommends) caffeine (100-200 mgs) 30 mins before work out. Other supplements mentioned but optional.

2. 5-10 minute easy warm-up.

3. 5 minutes of short HIT (high intensity intervals): I did 15 seconds of full out intensity, then 45 seconds of very low, then kept repeating that for 5 minutes.

4. Rest completely for 5 minutes.

5. 20-40 minutes of steady state cardio, something you are used to doing, at a moderate intensity.

6. Do another 5- 10 minutes of longer intervals. Do 30 seconds hard/30 seconds easy. This set can be done the same as the cardio you just did,only higher in intensity during the hard part, or a totally different exercise if you prefer.

7. Do 3-5 minute cool down.

8. Feel free to eat a normal diet meal after or have a protein shake if not hungry.

I’m going to see how it goes for a week or so, measure progress, and see if that breaks my cycle.

That routine you mention sounds like his first protocol. So yes, it definitely would show results. My fat is now just so stubborn, I have to go all out to try to shift it!

Whatever new thing I try, I do it for a week or two, measure the results, and if it works, I keep it up, and if it doesn’t, which obviously, nothing much has recently, I change something.

So far, I did the workout Sunday and Monday, am taking today off for a fast day, and will see how I feel physically tomorrow.

My arms and legs are getting really nicely toned really fast! I like that!